Why do some bilingual Hispanics still insist to be spoken to in Spanish when they are in the U.S.?

Question

I live in San Antonio, Texas, and we have a very large hispanic/Mexican population here. I have seen a lot of bilingual hispanics who can speak both spanish and English, still request or sometimes INSIST that I find someone who speaks spanish to communicate with them, OR they will speak ONLY spanish to me, knowing I speak english, and that I know THEY can speak english too. Why is this?

whooa, hold up..to whoever said I'm a racist, I"m FAR from a racist..I'm probably one of the most open minded people you could meet. Even my friends who say they're open minded say I'm even more open minded than THEY are. I have hispanic friends, black friends, asian friends, white friends, disabled friends, religious friends, athiest friends, gay friends, straight friends, transsexual friends. I'm a VERY diverse person. Please don't judge me because you don't know me. I'm not AGAINST it, I'm just trying to UNDERSTAND it...when ignorance goes uneducated, it breeds hate. I don't want to hate anyone, I want to become enlightened.

Answer 1

Until a few years ago I would have just answered that maybe they feel more comfortable with their first language. However, now I can say the following.

I understand your irritation. We lived TX on the border for a number of years and I worked with a young woman whom I would have to get an interpreter for every time I needed to speak to her. I was trying to learn Spanish at the time but having difficulty. After a year I heard her speaking flawless English to someone in the hallway, I was quite angry and felt used and made a fool of. When I confronted her with it all I got was a stupid smile.

Some people are just like that. San Antonio, where I visit frequently, has their fair share of both those and those that insist on only English being spoken so that their children will become more fluent. On the other hand, have you ever had a Latino get angry when you spoke to them in Spanish instead of English. I have had that also. Weird.

Answer 2

Even though they may be bilingual they may just be more comfortable in there native tongue. Is could it be that they do not have a full grasp of the English language? Depending on where your working I would say this could be a big factor. But if your working at McDonald's, I wouldn't think it would be to hard to order fries and a big mac in English. But if your working at say a Bank then I could understand them wanting to deal in there language as to not have any misunderstandings when it comes to money. Ever stop and ask them?

Answer 3

It might help if you understood what it's like to speak English as a second language. Most native speakers of American English still struggle with putting together comprehendable statements. Imagine speaking it as a second language. Aren't you more confident about what you're saying when you speak in your native tongue? What if you don't quite know how to say something you want to say in the second language you've learned? There are lots of resources about ESOL (English as a second language). I urge you to look into it. It should help you understand.

Answer 4

Probably because you only want to speak English to them.

Fair's fair I guess.

Answer 5

i think they like to speak spanish
and i think there more comfortable hearing spanish

Answer 6

its what they have spoken most of there lives and its easier for them to comprehend. personally I think it annoying and i hate having to press 1 for English. they are here and mostly illegally they should conform to us and not having us try to accommodate to them.

Answer 7

I live in San Antonio also. You are a racist!

Answer 8

To piss people like you off bigot